Various inflatable protective devices are known for protecting occupants of a vehicle passenger cabin, including inflatable air bags and air curtains. As is known, such devices are inflatable envelopes operatively associated with a suitable rapid inflator which, on detection of a collision by a suitable sensor, cause a rapid inflation of the inflatable envelope by a gas to protect a vehicle occupant from impact against surfaces such as the dashboard, steering wheel, side doors, windshield, windows, etc. Inflatable air bags and air curtains are mounted in a variety of vehicle components. For example, steering wheel and dashboard-mounted airbags are known. Likewise, it is known to provide inflatable air curtains, such as side air curtains configured for rapid deployment to a position interposed between a vehicle occupant and a vehicle side structure such as a door panel. Roof-mounted and seat-mounted side air curtains are known.
In styling vehicle interiors including such air bags and air curtains, packaging restrictions must be considered. That is, the amount of space required to install an air curtain deployment assembly must be factored in, including the device into which the air curtain is stowed prior to deployment at need. Particular issues exist with packaging side air curtains, headliners, and pillar trim pieces. Typically, the side air curtain is packaged by attaching to the roof panel sheet metal, beneath the vehicle headliner and side window and door trim pieces, disposed for deploying outwardly and downwardly to cover side windows, pillar trim, etc. Oversized side window and door trim pieces for covering side air curtain deployment assemblies are typically undesirable to consumers. Conventional alternative solutions such as over-constraining the air curtain envelope to reduce the amount of space occupied by a stowed air curtain risk impairing rapid deployment of the air curtain.
Accordingly, a need is identified in the art for an air curtain delivery assembly which accommodates such packaging restrictions without impairing deployment of the air curtain at need.